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Knowledgeable Math, Science, SAT, ACT tutor - Harvard honors grad
Jon P.

5.0 (173 ratings)

775 hours tutoring

Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee
Hourly Rate: $100
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Jon P.'s Photo
Jon P.'s Photo Jon P.'s Photo

Knowledgeable Math, Science, SAT, ACT tutor - Harvard honors grad
Knowledgeable Math, Science, SAT, ACT tutor - Harvard honors grad
Jon P.

5.0 (173 ratings)

775 hours tutoring

Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee
5.0 (173 ratings)

775 hours tutoring

Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee

Qualifications for “SAT”

Doing well on the Math SAT requires a combination of basic high school math and insight into problem solving. The math itself isn’t very advanced and most juniors and seniors taking the test have seen all of it, or the vast majority of it, in class. So what makes it so challenging? Well, many students may have seen the math, but that doesn’t mean they remember it all. Part of my approach is to use practice tests and other tools to identify those weak areas that each student brings to the test. Then we dive deeply into them, using custom-prepared information packets and worksheets, to make sure that the student gets up to speed and has all the math knowledge that the test requires.

But knowledge is only part of the picture. Many of the questions on the test are not the kind that the student would see in class. They start with the basic knowledge areas, but they are constructed in ways that require insight and cleverness in order to see the path to the answer. I work with each student to show them how to filter out the unnecessary information, see the hints in each question that show the path to the solution, find and stay on the trail as they do each step, and make sure that in the end they are answering the right question. I show them that there is usually more than one approach to a question, but that some methods are faster than others. Finding the right path not only gets them to the answer, but it also saves time for the other questions, which is so important on a timed test. And I show them, when they are truly stumped, how to use logic and common sense to eliminate wrong answers and increase their odds if they have to guess. Without these problem solving skills, even the most advanced math students can find themselves stumbling.

I’ve spent my entire adult life, from college at Harvard through the present day, working in math-related areas that required problem solving skills, logic, and creativity. I've tutored many students in the Math SAT and I'm very familiar with the kinds of questions that are asked, and how to think them through. My students come away with the knowledge, tools, and confidence they need for facing the challenges of the test and their academic lives ahead.

Related subjects
Jon has also tutored
Physics,
I've worked with physics students at many levels, including high school students and college engineering majors. I studied physics at an honors level at Harvard, where I earned an Honors degree in...
Precalculus
I am an experienced tutor who has worked with students in the entire range of subjects offered in middle and high school. I have particular experience in pre-calculus, with a significant portion of...
and 14 more subjects.

About Jon

Bio

... confidence. What about test prep? I can help with basic SAT math, SAT Math 1/1c/2/2c subject tests, and ACT Math and Science. SATs and ACTs can be scary, especially the math and science tests...

I'm an experienced math and science tutor specializing in Middle School, High School and early College classes, and SAT and ACT test preparation. I can help you with course work from algebra through calculus, and high school physics and chemistry (standard and AP). I'm friendly, warm, patient and easy to work with -- and I truly care about my students.

I was valedictorian of my high school class and I have an honors degree in math from Harvard, where I also studied physics and psychology. At Harvard I was a Teaching Assistant at the Harvard extension school, working with local residents in a variety of math subjects. And in graduate school, I was a Teaching Assistant in college psychology courses, which made heavy use of math and statistics.

After that, my 35-year career has included economic modeling, computer programming, and software engineering/design/management, fields where math and logic come into play every day. And throughout that time, I've never lost my interest in basic math and science. I've spent many hours continuing to read and educate myself in math, physics, chemistry and other subjects.

I began tutoring when my own kids were in school, first helping them, then working with friends’ children, then moving into doing part-time professional tutoring. Now I’m focused entirely on tutoring.

As part of my work in software, I also spent years writing and editing documentation for non-technical readers, and training junior employees and Technical Writers. I know well how to explain difficult subjects and how to help people understand concepts they've never seen before.

Learning a subject isn't just a matter of memorization and formulas. It takes seeing the concepts and understanding how the pieces fit together and how they apply to the problems you have to solve.

When I work with you, we'll be able to see where you're stuck and I'll patiently help you over those humps. I'll paint a picture of the subject that connects with what you already know and lets you master those sticking points and move on. It's important to me that not only will you be able to do better in class today and tomorrow, but that you'll also see the whole picture more clearly and be able to move into each new topic, week after week, with greater ease and confidence.

What about test prep? I can help with basic SAT math, SAT Math 1/1c/2/2c subject tests, and ACT Math and Science.

SATs and ACTs can be scary, especially the math and science tests. Maybe you’ve never seen questions like these before. Some of them may look easy but make you think in a whole new way to find the path to the answer.

Maybe you’ve taken an SAT class already, but you felt like you didn’t get enough out of it. Or maybe you’ve heard the big tutoring companies tell you they have tricks and back doors for answering questions without really knowing how. But there are no tricks. You have to understand the questions and know how to think them through.

I can help you build up your math knowledge and your problem solving ability, understand the questions, and learn the skills to answer them correctly – so you’ll be ready for the test and go into it with confidence!

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ACT English, ACT Reading, English, Grammar, SAT Reading, SAT Writing

Homeschool

Algebra 1,

Algebra 1

I am an experienced tutor who has worked with students in the entire range of subjects offered in middle and high school, including Algebra 1. I have studied and worked with math my entire life. I was valedictorian of my high school class, and I have an honors degree in math from Harvard. During college I was a Teaching Assistant in Harvard Extension College math courses, working with members of Cambridge community in a variety of subjects. After that, I worked for 35 years doing economic research and software development -- fields in which logic and math are used every day. I know that Algebra 1 can be difficult for students who have never had to think about numbers in abstract ways. I have a patient approach that leads students through specific class work and homework and test preparation, while also showing them the ideas behind the formulas, so that they develop the tools to really master the subject and learn to figure out solutions on their own.
Algebra 2,

Algebra 2

Years of experience tutoring math at all middle and high school levels, with many students in Algebra 2. Majored in math at Harvard, and received an honors degree. Valedictorian of high school class, and scored top scores on SAT and AP tests.
Calculus,

Calculus

I am an experienced tutor who has worked with students in the entire range of subjects offered in middle and high school, including calculus. I have studied and worked with math my entire life. I was valedictorian of my high school class, and scored the highest possible score on the AP calculus test. I then majored in math at Harvard, where I graduated with an honors degree, and where I was a Teaching Assistant in calculus at the Harvard Extension College. After that, I worked for 35 years doing economic research and software development -- fields in which logic and math are used every day. Calculus can be a difficult subject, because it requires a degree of abstraction that most students have not seen before. It introduces concepts involving continuous change rather than equations and shapes that remain static. It includes some of the most important tools that are used in solving real-world problems in the physical world. I have worked with both high school and college calculus students, and I have helped them learn and master this challenging subject. I can help you too.
Geometry,

Geometry

Geometry can be a difficult subject for teenagers. For many students, it's the first time they are studying a kind of math that involves forms and figures in an abstract way, rather than numbers. It is also the first subject in which they learn about the rules of logic and have to do rigorous proofs. I was a top math student in high school, majored in math at Harvard, and worked my entire career in technical and math-related areas. I have taught Geometry to many young people, from basic through honors, and I know the kinds of approaches that help them succeed. I am thoroughly familiar with the curriculum and bring insights and interesting sidelights to my lessons that help the students see beyond what's in the book. I help them put the whole subject together in a way that makes sense.
Physics,

Physics

I've worked with physics students at many levels, including high school students and college engineering majors. I studied physics at an honors level at Harvard, where I earned an Honors degree in Math. Physics can be a difficult subject, but once you start to see the ideas, it starts to make a lot of sense and you can see how interesting it really is. Working with a tutor who really understands the subject can be your ticket to success.
Precalculus,

Precalculus

I am an experienced tutor who has worked with students in the entire range of subjects offered in middle and high school. I have particular experience in pre-calculus, with a significant portion of my students in recent years having been at this level. As a transitional subject, pre-calculus has two roles. It repeats some of the material from Algebra 2 but with some additional and more complex ideas. And it introduces entirely new concepts that the student has not seen that he/she will be assumed to know when entering calculus later in his or her education. There is more abstraction than in Algebra 2 and a greater requirement for rigorous thinking. It can be a challenge to the student who didn't fully master what came before. I have a patient approach that helps students through specific class work, homework and test preparation, while also showing them the ideas behind the formulas. I identify the areas from previous subjects that they are not clear about and take the time to firm up those weak spots so they don't interfere with learning the new material. And moving forward, I help the student see the ideas in new ways, so that they can really master the subject and learn to figure out solutions on their own. I have studied and worked with math my entire life. I was valedictorian of my high school class, and I have an honors degree in math from Harvard. During college I was a Teaching Assistant at the Harvard Extension College, working with members of the local community in a variety of subjects. After that, I worked for 35 years doing economic research and software development -- fields in which logic and math are used every day.
SAT Math,

SAT Math

Doing well on the Math SAT requires a combination of basic high school math and insight into problem solving. The math itself isn’t very advanced and most juniors and seniors taking the test have seen all of it, or the vast majority of it, in class. So what makes it so challenging? Well, many students may have seen the math, but that doesn’t mean they remember it all. Part of my approach is to use practice tests and other tools to identify those weak areas that each student brings to the test. Then we dive deeply into them, using custom-prepared information packets and worksheets, to make sure that the student gets up to speed and has all the math knowledge that the test requires. But knowledge is only part of the picture. Many of the questions on the test are not the kind that the student would see in class. They start with the basic knowledge areas, but they are constructed in ways that require insight and cleverness in order to see the path to the answer. I work with each student to show them how to filter out the unnecessary information, see the hints in each question that show the path to the solution, find and stay on the trail as they do each step, and make sure that in the end they are answering the right question. I show them that there is usually more than one approach to a question, but that some methods are faster than others. Finding the right path not only gets them to the answer, but it also saves time for the other questions, which is so important on a timed test. And I show them, when they are truly stumped, how to use logic and common sense to eliminate wrong answers and increase their odds if they have to guess. Without these problem solving skills, even the most advanced math students can find themselves stumbling. I’ve spent my entire adult life, from college at Harvard through the present day, working in math-related areas that required problem solving skills, logic, and creativity. I've tutored many students in the Math SAT and I'm very familiar with the kinds of questions th
Chemistry, English, Prealgebra, SAT Reading

Math

ACT Math,

ACT Math

I have studied and worked with math my entire life. I was valedictorian of my high school class and then majored in math at Harvard, where I graduated with an honors degree. While there, I was also a Teaching Assistant at the Harvard Extension College. The ACT Math section has a particular set of topics that it expects students to know, and a particular style of question, unlike those you have to answer in class. It takes a combination of knowledge and math skill to be able to approach the questions and answer them correctly. But it also takes mathematical insight and cleverness to be able to answer them efficiently, so that you can finish all the questions in the available time. I have a three-pronged approach to preparation for the ACT Math test: 1) Identifying areas of math that you're weak in or not familiar with, or where you need refreshing. 2) Teaching the math you need, using customized teaching materials and a friendly, patient and persevering approach. 3) Showing how to use math insight and problem-solving logic to think through questions more quickly and get right to the answers. I can help you increase your knowledge of math AND your ability to think through the kinds of questions you can expect to see on the ACT.
Algebra 1,

Algebra 1

I am an experienced tutor who has worked with students in the entire range of subjects offered in middle and high school, including Algebra 1. I have studied and worked with math my entire life. I was valedictorian of my high school class, and I have an honors degree in math from Harvard. During college I was a Teaching Assistant in Harvard Extension College math courses, working with members of Cambridge community in a variety of subjects. After that, I worked for 35 years doing economic research and software development -- fields in which logic and math are used every day. I know that Algebra 1 can be difficult for students who have never had to think about numbers in abstract ways. I have a patient approach that leads students through specific class work and homework and test preparation, while also showing them the ideas behind the formulas, so that they develop the tools to really master the subject and learn to figure out solutions on their own.
Algebra 2,

Algebra 2

Years of experience tutoring math at all middle and high school levels, with many students in Algebra 2. Majored in math at Harvard, and received an honors degree. Valedictorian of high school class, and scored top scores on SAT and AP tests.
Calculus,

Calculus

I am an experienced tutor who has worked with students in the entire range of subjects offered in middle and high school, including calculus. I have studied and worked with math my entire life. I was valedictorian of my high school class, and scored the highest possible score on the AP calculus test. I then majored in math at Harvard, where I graduated with an honors degree, and where I was a Teaching Assistant in calculus at the Harvard Extension College. After that, I worked for 35 years doing economic research and software development -- fields in which logic and math are used every day. Calculus can be a difficult subject, because it requires a degree of abstraction that most students have not seen before. It introduces concepts involving continuous change rather than equations and shapes that remain static. It includes some of the most important tools that are used in solving real-world problems in the physical world. I have worked with both high school and college calculus students, and I have helped them learn and master this challenging subject. I can help you too.
Geometry,

Geometry

Geometry can be a difficult subject for teenagers. For many students, it's the first time they are studying a kind of math that involves forms and figures in an abstract way, rather than numbers. It is also the first subject in which they learn about the rules of logic and have to do rigorous proofs. I was a top math student in high school, majored in math at Harvard, and worked my entire career in technical and math-related areas. I have taught Geometry to many young people, from basic through honors, and I know the kinds of approaches that help them succeed. I am thoroughly familiar with the curriculum and bring insights and interesting sidelights to my lessons that help the students see beyond what's in the book. I help them put the whole subject together in a way that makes sense.
Physics,

Physics

I've worked with physics students at many levels, including high school students and college engineering majors. I studied physics at an honors level at Harvard, where I earned an Honors degree in Math. Physics can be a difficult subject, but once you start to see the ideas, it starts to make a lot of sense and you can see how interesting it really is. Working with a tutor who really understands the subject can be your ticket to success.
Precalculus,

Precalculus

I am an experienced tutor who has worked with students in the entire range of subjects offered in middle and high school. I have particular experience in pre-calculus, with a significant portion of my students in recent years having been at this level. As a transitional subject, pre-calculus has two roles. It repeats some of the material from Algebra 2 but with some additional and more complex ideas. And it introduces entirely new concepts that the student has not seen that he/she will be assumed to know when entering calculus later in his or her education. There is more abstraction than in Algebra 2 and a greater requirement for rigorous thinking. It can be a challenge to the student who didn't fully master what came before. I have a patient approach that helps students through specific class work, homework and test preparation, while also showing them the ideas behind the formulas. I identify the areas from previous subjects that they are not clear about and take the time to firm up those weak spots so they don't interfere with learning the new material. And moving forward, I help the student see the ideas in new ways, so that they can really master the subject and learn to figure out solutions on their own. I have studied and worked with math my entire life. I was valedictorian of my high school class, and I have an honors degree in math from Harvard. During college I was a Teaching Assistant at the Harvard Extension College, working with members of the local community in a variety of subjects. After that, I worked for 35 years doing economic research and software development -- fields in which logic and math are used every day.
SAT Math,

SAT Math

Doing well on the Math SAT requires a combination of basic high school math and insight into problem solving. The math itself isn’t very advanced and most juniors and seniors taking the test have seen all of it, or the vast majority of it, in class. So what makes it so challenging? Well, many students may have seen the math, but that doesn’t mean they remember it all. Part of my approach is to use practice tests and other tools to identify those weak areas that each student brings to the test. Then we dive deeply into them, using custom-prepared information packets and worksheets, to make sure that the student gets up to speed and has all the math knowledge that the test requires. But knowledge is only part of the picture. Many of the questions on the test are not the kind that the student would see in class. They start with the basic knowledge areas, but they are constructed in ways that require insight and cleverness in order to see the path to the answer. I work with each student to show them how to filter out the unnecessary information, see the hints in each question that show the path to the solution, find and stay on the trail as they do each step, and make sure that in the end they are answering the right question. I show them that there is usually more than one approach to a question, but that some methods are faster than others. Finding the right path not only gets them to the answer, but it also saves time for the other questions, which is so important on a timed test. And I show them, when they are truly stumped, how to use logic and common sense to eliminate wrong answers and increase their odds if they have to guess. Without these problem solving skills, even the most advanced math students can find themselves stumbling. I’ve spent my entire adult life, from college at Harvard through the present day, working in math-related areas that required problem solving skills, logic, and creativity. I've tutored many students in the Math SAT and I'm very familiar with the kinds of questions th
Prealgebra, Trigonometry

Most Popular

Algebra 1,

Algebra 1

I am an experienced tutor who has worked with students in the entire range of subjects offered in middle and high school, including Algebra 1. I have studied and worked with math my entire life. I was valedictorian of my high school class, and I have an honors degree in math from Harvard. During college I was a Teaching Assistant in Harvard Extension College math courses, working with members of Cambridge community in a variety of subjects. After that, I worked for 35 years doing economic research and software development -- fields in which logic and math are used every day. I know that Algebra 1 can be difficult for students who have never had to think about numbers in abstract ways. I have a patient approach that leads students through specific class work and homework and test preparation, while also showing them the ideas behind the formulas, so that they develop the tools to really master the subject and learn to figure out solutions on their own.
Algebra 2,

Algebra 2

Years of experience tutoring math at all middle and high school levels, with many students in Algebra 2. Majored in math at Harvard, and received an honors degree. Valedictorian of high school class, and scored top scores on SAT and AP tests.
Calculus,

Calculus

I am an experienced tutor who has worked with students in the entire range of subjects offered in middle and high school, including calculus. I have studied and worked with math my entire life. I was valedictorian of my high school class, and scored the highest possible score on the AP calculus test. I then majored in math at Harvard, where I graduated with an honors degree, and where I was a Teaching Assistant in calculus at the Harvard Extension College. After that, I worked for 35 years doing economic research and software development -- fields in which logic and math are used every day. Calculus can be a difficult subject, because it requires a degree of abstraction that most students have not seen before. It introduces concepts involving continuous change rather than equations and shapes that remain static. It includes some of the most important tools that are used in solving real-world problems in the physical world. I have worked with both high school and college calculus students, and I have helped them learn and master this challenging subject. I can help you too.
Geometry,

Geometry

Geometry can be a difficult subject for teenagers. For many students, it's the first time they are studying a kind of math that involves forms and figures in an abstract way, rather than numbers. It is also the first subject in which they learn about the rules of logic and have to do rigorous proofs. I was a top math student in high school, majored in math at Harvard, and worked my entire career in technical and math-related areas. I have taught Geometry to many young people, from basic through honors, and I know the kinds of approaches that help them succeed. I am thoroughly familiar with the curriculum and bring insights and interesting sidelights to my lessons that help the students see beyond what's in the book. I help them put the whole subject together in a way that makes sense.
Physics,

Physics

I've worked with physics students at many levels, including high school students and college engineering majors. I studied physics at an honors level at Harvard, where I earned an Honors degree in Math. Physics can be a difficult subject, but once you start to see the ideas, it starts to make a lot of sense and you can see how interesting it really is. Working with a tutor who really understands the subject can be your ticket to success.
Precalculus,

Precalculus

I am an experienced tutor who has worked with students in the entire range of subjects offered in middle and high school. I have particular experience in pre-calculus, with a significant portion of my students in recent years having been at this level. As a transitional subject, pre-calculus has two roles. It repeats some of the material from Algebra 2 but with some additional and more complex ideas. And it introduces entirely new concepts that the student has not seen that he/she will be assumed to know when entering calculus later in his or her education. There is more abstraction than in Algebra 2 and a greater requirement for rigorous thinking. It can be a challenge to the student who didn't fully master what came before. I have a patient approach that helps students through specific class work, homework and test preparation, while also showing them the ideas behind the formulas. I identify the areas from previous subjects that they are not clear about and take the time to firm up those weak spots so they don't interfere with learning the new material. And moving forward, I help the student see the ideas in new ways, so that they can really master the subject and learn to figure out solutions on their own. I have studied and worked with math my entire life. I was valedictorian of my high school class, and I have an honors degree in math from Harvard. During college I was a Teaching Assistant at the Harvard Extension College, working with members of the local community in a variety of subjects. After that, I worked for 35 years doing economic research and software development -- fields in which logic and math are used every day.
Chemistry, English, Prealgebra

Science

Physics,

Physics

I've worked with physics students at many levels, including high school students and college engineering majors. I studied physics at an honors level at Harvard, where I earned an Honors degree in Math. Physics can be a difficult subject, but once you start to see the ideas, it starts to make a lot of sense and you can see how interesting it really is. Working with a tutor who really understands the subject can be your ticket to success.
ACT Science, Chemistry

Summer

Algebra 1,

Algebra 1

I am an experienced tutor who has worked with students in the entire range of subjects offered in middle and high school, including Algebra 1. I have studied and worked with math my entire life. I was valedictorian of my high school class, and I have an honors degree in math from Harvard. During college I was a Teaching Assistant in Harvard Extension College math courses, working with members of Cambridge community in a variety of subjects. After that, I worked for 35 years doing economic research and software development -- fields in which logic and math are used every day. I know that Algebra 1 can be difficult for students who have never had to think about numbers in abstract ways. I have a patient approach that leads students through specific class work and homework and test preparation, while also showing them the ideas behind the formulas, so that they develop the tools to really master the subject and learn to figure out solutions on their own.
Algebra 2,

Algebra 2

Years of experience tutoring math at all middle and high school levels, with many students in Algebra 2. Majored in math at Harvard, and received an honors degree. Valedictorian of high school class, and scored top scores on SAT and AP tests.
Calculus,

Calculus

I am an experienced tutor who has worked with students in the entire range of subjects offered in middle and high school, including calculus. I have studied and worked with math my entire life. I was valedictorian of my high school class, and scored the highest possible score on the AP calculus test. I then majored in math at Harvard, where I graduated with an honors degree, and where I was a Teaching Assistant in calculus at the Harvard Extension College. After that, I worked for 35 years doing economic research and software development -- fields in which logic and math are used every day. Calculus can be a difficult subject, because it requires a degree of abstraction that most students have not seen before. It introduces concepts involving continuous change rather than equations and shapes that remain static. It includes some of the most important tools that are used in solving real-world problems in the physical world. I have worked with both high school and college calculus students, and I have helped them learn and master this challenging subject. I can help you too.
Geometry,

Geometry

Geometry can be a difficult subject for teenagers. For many students, it's the first time they are studying a kind of math that involves forms and figures in an abstract way, rather than numbers. It is also the first subject in which they learn about the rules of logic and have to do rigorous proofs. I was a top math student in high school, majored in math at Harvard, and worked my entire career in technical and math-related areas. I have taught Geometry to many young people, from basic through honors, and I know the kinds of approaches that help them succeed. I am thoroughly familiar with the curriculum and bring insights and interesting sidelights to my lessons that help the students see beyond what's in the book. I help them put the whole subject together in a way that makes sense.
Physics,

Physics

I've worked with physics students at many levels, including high school students and college engineering majors. I studied physics at an honors level at Harvard, where I earned an Honors degree in Math. Physics can be a difficult subject, but once you start to see the ideas, it starts to make a lot of sense and you can see how interesting it really is. Working with a tutor who really understands the subject can be your ticket to success.
SAT Math,

SAT Math

Doing well on the Math SAT requires a combination of basic high school math and insight into problem solving. The math itself isn’t very advanced and most juniors and seniors taking the test have seen all of it, or the vast majority of it, in class. So what makes it so challenging? Well, many students may have seen the math, but that doesn’t mean they remember it all. Part of my approach is to use practice tests and other tools to identify those weak areas that each student brings to the test. Then we dive deeply into them, using custom-prepared information packets and worksheets, to make sure that the student gets up to speed and has all the math knowledge that the test requires. But knowledge is only part of the picture. Many of the questions on the test are not the kind that the student would see in class. They start with the basic knowledge areas, but they are constructed in ways that require insight and cleverness in order to see the path to the answer. I work with each student to show them how to filter out the unnecessary information, see the hints in each question that show the path to the solution, find and stay on the trail as they do each step, and make sure that in the end they are answering the right question. I show them that there is usually more than one approach to a question, but that some methods are faster than others. Finding the right path not only gets them to the answer, but it also saves time for the other questions, which is so important on a timed test. And I show them, when they are truly stumped, how to use logic and common sense to eliminate wrong answers and increase their odds if they have to guess. Without these problem solving skills, even the most advanced math students can find themselves stumbling. I’ve spent my entire adult life, from college at Harvard through the present day, working in math-related areas that required problem solving skills, logic, and creativity. I've tutored many students in the Math SAT and I'm very familiar with the kinds of questions th
Chemistry

Test Preparation

ACT Math,

ACT Math

I have studied and worked with math my entire life. I was valedictorian of my high school class and then majored in math at Harvard, where I graduated with an honors degree. While there, I was also a Teaching Assistant at the Harvard Extension College. The ACT Math section has a particular set of topics that it expects students to know, and a particular style of question, unlike those you have to answer in class. It takes a combination of knowledge and math skill to be able to approach the questions and answer them correctly. But it also takes mathematical insight and cleverness to be able to answer them efficiently, so that you can finish all the questions in the available time. I have a three-pronged approach to preparation for the ACT Math test: 1) Identifying areas of math that you're weak in or not familiar with, or where you need refreshing. 2) Teaching the math you need, using customized teaching materials and a friendly, patient and persevering approach. 3) Showing how to use math insight and problem-solving logic to think through questions more quickly and get right to the answers. I can help you increase your knowledge of math AND your ability to think through the kinds of questions you can expect to see on the ACT.
SAT Math,

SAT Math

Doing well on the Math SAT requires a combination of basic high school math and insight into problem solving. The math itself isn’t very advanced and most juniors and seniors taking the test have seen all of it, or the vast majority of it, in class. So what makes it so challenging? Well, many students may have seen the math, but that doesn’t mean they remember it all. Part of my approach is to use practice tests and other tools to identify those weak areas that each student brings to the test. Then we dive deeply into them, using custom-prepared information packets and worksheets, to make sure that the student gets up to speed and has all the math knowledge that the test requires. But knowledge is only part of the picture. Many of the questions on the test are not the kind that the student would see in class. They start with the basic knowledge areas, but they are constructed in ways that require insight and cleverness in order to see the path to the answer. I work with each student to show them how to filter out the unnecessary information, see the hints in each question that show the path to the solution, find and stay on the trail as they do each step, and make sure that in the end they are answering the right question. I show them that there is usually more than one approach to a question, but that some methods are faster than others. Finding the right path not only gets them to the answer, but it also saves time for the other questions, which is so important on a timed test. And I show them, when they are truly stumped, how to use logic and common sense to eliminate wrong answers and increase their odds if they have to guess. Without these problem solving skills, even the most advanced math students can find themselves stumbling. I’ve spent my entire adult life, from college at Harvard through the present day, working in math-related areas that required problem solving skills, logic, and creativity. I've tutored many students in the Math SAT and I'm very familiar with the kinds of questions th
ACT English, ACT Reading, ACT Science, SAT Reading, SAT Writing

Examples of Expertise

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Ratings and Reviews

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Reviews

Awesome tutor

Jon helped my son with precalc. What I liked about Jon's teaching style is that he doesn't just give answers to problem sets, but helped with strategy and different ways to tackle difficult conceptual problems. After just one session, my son was able to complete the rest of his HW and was very happy. We'll definitely take more lessons with Jon.

Jeannie, 7 lessons with Jon

A great help for my son

We are on our second year with Jon. He has been a great. Patient, understanding and building a great foundation for my son's advancement. Develops problem solving and critical thinking.

Michael, 62 lessons with Jon

Very nice approach to a Middle-Schooler

It was our introductory lesson for Algebra I. Our daughter was very happy with Jon. Looking forward to see him next week.

Peter , 56 lessons with Jon

Knowledgebale tutor

Jon knows how to explain high school physics course in simple terms so it was easier for my son to understand; we would certainly recommend Jon to other students who want to improve their grades

Ilya, 16 lessons with Jon

Excellent math tutor

Jon worked with my son on algebra 1, he has excellent rapport, a kind and patient manner and can be highly recommended

Gerry, 27 lessons with Jon

Knowledgeable and patient tutor

Jon is really nice and patient with my daughter. Especially when she didn't understand the physics lingo and kept asking Jon to repeat. We are very lucky to have found a tutor my daughter can learn with.

Asia, 34 lessons with Jon

Extremely intelligent and qualified tutor

Jon is so helpful! He understands math so fluently that he is easily able to help you understand anything your having trouble with. Very smart and also a very nice guy all around

Carly, 6 lessons with Jon

Easy to understand, knowledgeable tutor.

Jon is helping me relearn how to understand and analyze data from word problems in preparation for a test. I found him to be very patient and thorough in his explanations.

Sally, 7 lessons with Jon

Patient and prompt tutor

My daughter had her first lesson with Jon and he was patient and made sure she understood the problem and how to solve it, by showing her steps. He made sure she got it and she has a much better understanding. He's prompt and doesn't leave until she has worked out a problem. This will help her greatly in her upcoming lessons and testing!

Cynthia, 12 lessons with Jon
Hourly Rate: $100
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